The Perfect Gift

Today I found myself, in yet another gift shop, trying to complete a very crucial undertaking: finding the perfect gift. I’m always looking for my mom, dad, brothers, sister, boyfriend… yet I never seem to find anything quite right.

But besides the personal loves in my life, I’m also always on the hunt for my future classroom as well. I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this on my blog yet, but I plan to be a high school history teacher. With that being said I’m always looking for cool, hands-on historic manipulative that I could use (or decorate J ) my future classroom with. So, when I saw a cd labeled, “Favorite Wartime Songs” I knew I had to get it! It’s a collection of old British songs from the WWII era that “lifted a Nation’s heart.

So of course, when I got home I had to give it a listen. And within a few minutes I understood how crucial it must have been at the time. It really did lift my spirit! I mean, it’s not exactly my top choice in music… it’s definitely old school. But it has character and history! The lyrics pretty much tell the story of the war.

This music was so important to both 20th century culture and politics. With the radio becoming such a huge factor of mass communication it’s no wonder! People depended on the radio to stay connected, much like the way we depend on the internet now days. But furthermore, people needed to hear the music produced during that time. In many ways, it can be paralleled to songs, such as Alan Jackson’s “Where were you when the World Stopped Turning,” that came out after the 9/11 attacks on the U.S.

It’s amazing what music can do for a country during wartime. It really does pull a country together. And it truly does lift the spirits. With that being said, music was the war’s perfect gift during the 20th century.